Method and apparatus for treating pile fabrics



Jun 6, 1933. A; P. GREEN 1 1 1,913,114

1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PILE FABRICS Filed Jan. '28, 1932 INVENTOR P2 ATTORNEYI} 1421202 P676672 v B Y Patented June 6, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR 1P. GREEN, OE AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK ASSIGNOR TO MOHAWK CARPET HILLS, INC OF AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PILE FABRICS Application filed January 28, 1932. Serial No. 589,395.

This invention relates to the finishing of pile fabrics and is concerned more particularly with an improved method and apparatus for treating the surface of the fabric to smooth and clean it, open up thebunches of tufts, remove the loose fibres, and polish or luster the tuft yarns. The treatment of such fabrics by my method so as to obtain a better coverage by the face yarns, greatly improves the appearance and softens the face of the fabric.

In the manufacture of pile fabrics, it is customary after weaving and trimming to treat the fabric to improve its a pearance and obtain better coverage by the ace yarns, and the methods heretofore commonly used have involved steaming and brushing the fabric, either with bristle or wire brushes, to open up the tufts of pile yarn and remove the loose fibre sn These methods are partial- I 1y successful in accomplishing the desired purpose, but they do not luster or polish the face yarn of the fabric'to any appreciable extent and hence do not give the fabric the desired sheen or silky appearance.

.The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the vprovision of a novel method and apparatus which affords the advantages mentioned, including the polishing or lustering oftheface yarn, in a simple and efiicient manner. In eneral, the new method com- I prises subjecting the fabric to brushing,

heating, and ironing, carried on preferably by revolving rolls, each of which carries both brushing sections and ironing sections arranged alternately, so that the several operations are consecutively. performed. In

carrying out the method, a number of rolls may be employed, and they are advantageously rotated in opposite directions so that the pile is acted on from opposite sides:

For some grades of fabric the ironing and brushing treatment is performed upon the fabric, preferably in dry condition, but with other grades it may be desirableto moisten the fabric before or during the treatment, for example, with water, steam, or a chemical solution, for. instance, of an alkaline reaction. The new method and apparatus may be used for finishing the fabric, either dry or moistened, and produces a lustrous finish and the other effects previously menpractice the method of my invention is illustrated in the drawing as comprising a series of platens over which the fabric is passed and a series of rotatable cylinders, each operating on the fabric as it passes over a platen, and each provided with a plurality of ironing and brushing sections arranged in alternations around the cylinder. In carrying out the method, the fabric is fed face up between the platens and cylinders successively and'each cylinder subjects the pile surface to alternate brushing and ironlng operations.

In the apparatus illustrated, the fabric to be treated is drawn from a roll 10 supported upon rollers 11, and passes over a roller 12 to platens 13, above which are cylinders 17, each operating on the fabric as it passes over one of the platens.

The c linders are of similar construction and eac comprises a cylindrical shell '22 mounted on a shaft 23 and having two brush sections 24 extending axially of the cylinder on opposite sides thereof and held in place by bolts 25. The brushing surface of these sections may be wire brushes and are clothing. Between the two brushes and also located on opposite sides of the cylinder are 1 two ironing plates 26 similarly extending axially of the cylinder and held in place by bolts 28. Vent openings 22 are located between the brushes and ironing devices. The ironing plates may be heated in any desired manner, for instance, by steam or and 35 easil 50 discharge devices will be emtglo o Iclaim:

" 'whichcom rises more by electricity, and in the construction illustrated, there are two electrical heating elements 29 beneath each plate 26. All the heating elements are connected in parallel 5 to a pair of slip rings, 30 mounted at one After passing over the last latch 16 the fabric passes over a spiked ro ler 34 which serves to draw the fabric through the apparatus and the fabric is then wound into a roll 35 supported by rollers 36.

The cylinders 22 may be driven in any desired manner but I prefer to drive the alternate cylinders in opposite directions since this s reads the pile yarns and causes both sides t ereof to be'brushed and ironed generally produces the most desirable results.

The use of cylinders having both brushing and ironing sections is especially desir-' able because of the ra id'alternation of iron- 25 ing and brushing w ich is thus obtained. This rapid alternation makes certain that the pile will be heated when it is brushed and greatly lessens the likelihood of scorchmg or burning the pile as the pile is rearranged by-the brushes between each pair of successive contacts with the ironin members. The protection a ainst scorc 'ng is .particularly important i the pile is'ironed dry for when so ironed it would scorch if these recautions were not taken.

on the fa ric is to be treated in dry condition, the a paratus may be used in the form illustrate but if the surface of the fabric is to be moistened, the moistening 4 may be effected by any suitable means bethe surface, while water or chemical solutions are preferabl applied b s ra nozzles. In some ins tances, botli s ean i and water or chemical treatments may be used in which event a suitable combination of ed. In practisin the new me paratus descri the fabric is re a y rushed and ironed, first in one and then in the other, until all of the pile arns have been thoro b1 untwisted and rushed and ironed ona si es, and the loose strands all removed. The result is a luxurious fabric in which the face yarns have a beautifulluster and form anevemsmooth pattern a pile fabrics a 1 pile surface solution, alternately brush- 1. A 'method of withan 6; ing and the pile surface by elements irection movin in one direction relative to the pile, and t ereafter alternately brushing and ironing the pile surface by elements moving inthe opposite direction relative to the pile.

2. Apparatus for finishin pile fabrics comprising a rotatable c lin er, an arcuate ironing section mounte on the cylinder, and an arcuate brush section mounted on the cylinder.

3. Apparatus for finis pile fabrics comprismg a rotatable cylin er, this cylinder having mounted on its periphery an ironing section and a brush section, means for supporting a fabric in contact with said sections as the cylinder rotates, and means for advancing the fabric over the supporting means.

4. Apparatus for finishin pile fabrics comprismg a rotatable cylin er, a pluralit of ironing sections and a plurality of brus sections arrangsd in alternation u nthe periphery of t e cylinder, means or supporting a fabric to be acted on by said sections, and means for advancing the fabric over the supporting means.

5. Apparatus for finishing pile fabrics comprising a rotatable cylinde a pair of ironin sections having arcuatef surfaces arrange in alternation with a pair of brush sections on the surface of the cylinder, means for supporting a fabric to be acted on b said sections, and means for moving the abric over the slgforting means.

6. Apparatus for ishing pile fabrics comprising a rotatable cylinder, an ironing element on the surface of said cylinder,

means for heating said element, a brush ele-' Y comprismg a plurality of rotatablecylinders bythea each having ironin elements and brush sec .tions arranged in a ternation on the surface of said cylinder, means for heating said ironing elements, means for rotating alternate cylinders in opposite directions, and

means for advancing a fabric into contact with said cylinders successively.

9. Apparatus for comprising a plurality of rotata le cylinders each having elements and brush sections mounted thereon in alternation, means for rotating alternate cylinders in opposite directions, a fabric support associated witheach. cyhnder, and means for advancing a fabric over the supports successively.

ile fabrics 10. Apparatus for finishing pile fabrics comprising a plurality of platens, means for moving a abric over the platens a cylinder associated with each platen and acting on said fabric as it passes over said platen, said cylinder having awire brush and an ironing member mounted thereon, and means for rotating alternate cylinders in opposite directions.

11. In apparatus for finishing pile fabrics, a rotatable cylinder for acting on the fabric, said cylinder havin ironing elements with arcuate surfaces an brush sections arranged thereon in alternation, and electrical heating elements for heating said ironing elements.

12. A method of finishing pile fabrics which comprises alternately brushing and ironing the face of the fabric by elements moving in one direction relative to the fab ric and thereafter alternately ironin and brushing the fabric by elements movlng in the opposite direction to separate the strands of face yarn remove loose strands and polish the fixe strands, and moistening the fabric-with an alkaline treating fluid before the brushing and ironing operations are finished.

13. Apparatus for finishing ile fabrics" comprising a plurality of rotatab e cylinders each having ironin elements and brush sections arranged in a ternation on the surface of said cylinder, means for heating said ironin elements, means for rotating alternate cy inders in opposite directions, means for advancing a fabric into contact with said cylinders successively, and means for moistening the fabric with a treating fluid.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR P. GREEN. 

